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F. W. CHEETHAM.

. FELT HAT. No. 394,336. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

' W/T/VE 8E8: A l/VVE/VTOR. 425% JTVMMM ATTORNEY,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK V. CIIEETHAM, OF HYDE, COUNTY OF CHESTER, ENGLAND.

FELT HAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,336, dated. December 11, 1888.

Application filed April 4, 1888. 8erial No. 269,604. (No model.) Patented in England February 9, 1887, No. 2,014; in Belgium August 8, 1887,110. 78,502; in Italy Au ust 8, 1887, XXI, 22,128, and XLIV, 94; in France August 9,1887, No. 185,246; in Ca ada August 24, 1887, No. 27,496; in Austria-Hungary September 14, 1887, No. 12,345 and No. 37,839; in New South Wales September 19, 1887, No. 196, and in Brazil November 12, 1887,11'0. 528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, FREDERICK WILLIAM HEETHAM, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and residing at llyde, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Felt Hats, (for which I have received patents in the fol lowing countries, viz: Great Britain, No. 2,014, dated February fl, 1887; Austria-Hungary, No. 12,345 and No. 37,839, dated September 14, 1887; Brazil, No. 528, dated November 12, 18 7; Belgium, No. 78,502, dated August 8, 1887; Canada, No. 27,496, dated August 24, 1887; France, No. 185,241), dated August 9, 1887; Italy, Registro (ii'GllQl'LlQ, Vol. XXI, No. 22,128, dated August 8, 1887, Registro Attestati XLIV, No. 94; New South \Va-lcs, No. 190, dated September 19, 1887,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure represents one of my improved hats in section.

The object of my invention is to produce a durable hat of fine finish at a low cost; and the invention consists in a felt hat formed of a conipletcly-feltwl body having an exterior or superficial vcnecr or covering of fine t'ur or wool frcc from proofing or stificning material.

In the drawing, A represents a completelyfelted hat-body, and i3 is the superficial covering or veneer of finely-grouml wool or fur blown on the (annpletely felted body and felted upon it just su fiicientl y to make it adhere firmly. lhis fincly-grou nd wool is m erely superficial, and does not become mixed with the previously-comp]etcd body, as the drawin plainly shows.

It will. be seen that l have produced a hat having an exterior finish equal to the very finest hats, and yet the expense is not near so great, as the body is formed of much coarser n'laterial, which, however, is not visible when the hat is in use. Any one skilled in the art could, however, readily distinguish. my improved hat by reason. of its coarser interior and finer exterior free from proofing or stiltening material and free from any mixture of the coarser material of the body A.

Ileretofore hats have been formed of two separate bats felted together, the outer one being the finer; but the article produced was a hat having a mixed body, as the finer material could not be kept 011 the outer surface. A hat has also been produced by hardeningthat is, partially feltinga hat of coarse wool, then blowing an exterior covering of finer wool thereon, and then felting the two until the hat was completely felted, and then proofing or stiffening it; but the article produced was a mixed hat-body, or one the finer material in which was thoroughly in corporatcd with the coarser, and which finer material, was also filled with the proofing or stiileningmaterial, as I have demonstrated by actual experiment. The bodies of my stiff hats are stiffened or proot'ed as well as felted prior to the application of the veneer, and in some soft felt hats a small amount only of stillcning material is added to the complctely-felted body prior to the application of the finer veneer.

For ladies and childrens use I sometimes form the complctcly-felted hat-body of one color and the veneer of alu'ithcr color, the effect of which is very pretty. ly applying the finer superficial. coating after the body is completely felted and proofed I produce an article which is soft to the touch, because the finer wool or fur has not become incorporated throughout the coarser body and stifiened like the hats in which the finer fur or wool is applied before the felting and stiffening processes.

I do not claim the process in this application, as the same forms the subjwit-matter of my application, Serial No. 233,210, filed March 31, A. D. 1887.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as of my invention is 1. As an improved article of mainifacturc, a napless felt hat formed of a completelyfelted body having'an external superficial coating or Veneer of eomminuted staple free from proofing or stiffening material, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a napless felt hat formed of a completely felted and proofed 0r stiifened body and a superficial exterior coating of finely-ground 'or comminuted staple free from proofing or stiffening material, substantially-as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as IO 

